iWorld
Spotify registers 320 million monthly active users in Q3
NEW DELHI: Audio streaming service Spotify has reached 320 million monthly active users in the third quarter with a 29 per cent year-on-year growth. Successful marketing campaigns in India, as well as the July launch in Russia, have driven the growth.
“From a content consumption standpoint, global consumption hours surpassed pre-COVID levels during the quarter, and all regions have fully recovered. Consumption trends by the platform have returned to normal usage, including in-car listening hours which is now above the pre-COVID peak. Usage on connected devices inside the home, which saw a spike during the lockdown, also remains above pre-COVID levels.,” the company stated.
Its premium subscribers base grew by 27 per cent year-over-year to 144 million in the quarter. The platform saw strong subscriber growth across all regions, with added benefit from new market launches in Russia and surrounding territories. Russia has been the most successful new market launch to date and represented the largest portion of subscriber outperformance for the quarter.
Total revenue of $1,975 million grew 14 per cent year-over-year in Q3; premium revenue grew 15 per cent to $1,790 million while ad-supported revenue rebounded nicely, growing 9 per cent. Within premium, average revenue per user (“ARPU”) of $4.19 in Q3 was down 10 per cent year-on-year.
iWorld
Samay Raina returns with Still Alive, confronts 2025 controversy in bold comeback special
Comeback set tackles controversy, blending humour with raw storytelling
MUMBAI: Samay Raina is set to release his new stand-up comedy special, Still Alive, on YouTube on April 7, 2026, marking a high-profile return following a turbulent year.
The trailer for the special dropped on April 5, offering a glimpse into what Raina describes as a raw and unfiltered set that leans as much on honesty as it does on humour.
Positioned as a comeback of sorts, Still Alive draws heavily from the controversy surrounding his show India’s Got Latent in early 2025. The episode led to legal trouble, multiple FIRs, and a lengthy six-hour interrogation by the Maharashtra Cyber Cell, placing the comedian at the centre of intense public scrutiny.
Rather than sidestep the episode, Raina leans into it. The special reflects on the fallout and his personal journey through it, blending observational comedy with moments of emotional candour. Early audience feedback from live performances suggests the tone is less about rapid-fire punchlines and more about storytelling with bite.
The special was filmed during his global Still Alive & Unfiltered tour, which ran from August 2025 to early 2026. The tour saw Raina perform across major international venues, including the Madison Square Garden Theatre in New York, a milestone that places him among the youngest Indian comedians to take that stage.
The title itself signals resilience. “Still Alive” is a nod to navigating both legal and public backlash while choosing to remain unapologetically authentic, a theme that appears to anchor the set.
With the special set to premiere online, all eyes are now on how audiences respond to a performance that promises equal parts reflection and wit. For Raina, the message is clear. He is not just back, he is ready to be heard on his own terms.
